"[Beckham Sr.] was a top football player coming out of Texas, I was the top basketball player in Texas, so when we first got to LSU, we used to go to clubs, fight for each other, we were best friends," O'Neal told NJ Advance Media in 2014. "When he had his son, I called and congratulated him. I met junior many times. Of course, when [Odell Jr.] went to LSU everyone was excited."